Z53 
F5&s 


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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


SKETCH!* 


•t- 


By  JAMES  H.  FISH.**- 


3, 


She     icld  of     ractical 


'   rk 

U-  \.:  izft 


WITH  PROSPECTUS  OF  FISH'S  SCHOOL  OF  SHORT-HAND, 


PLAN  OF  INSTRUCTION  BY  MAIL, 


For  the  Information  of  those  who  wisLto  learn  the  Ar 


BY  JAMES  H.  FISH, 

Stenographer   to   the    United   States   Courts   in    New  York 
and    Brooklyn. 


Copyright,  188S,  by  JAMBS  H.  FISH. 


FS 


*• 


lr)<aex. 

(n  PAGES 

,  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  — PROFESSIONAL  WORK  — THE 
LAW  REPORTER'S  WORK— REPORTING  SPEED— EXPERTS- 
AMANUENSIS  WORK  AND  THE  DEMAND— DICTATION  SPEED- 
WOMEN  AS  STENOGRAPHERS— Is  SHORT-HAND  DIFI-ICULT 
TO  LEARN— PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE— WHO  SHOULD  LEARN 
SHORT-HAND—CONDITIONS  OF  SUCCESS— 8  YSTEMS  OF  SHORT- 
HAND—THE TEACHER  OF  SHORT-HAND, 5  to  22 

§?    METHOD   OF   INSTRUCTION  BY    MAIL.— PLAN— TERM  OF 
*3            STUDY  — CHARGES  — ADVANTAGES  — How  LONG  WILL  IT 
TAKE  — CAN  POSITIONS  BE  OBTAINED  — OUR  STUDENTS- 
SUCCESS  OF  THE  SCHOOL, 23  to  32 

FISH'S  SCHOOL  OF  SHORT-HAND, 33  to  38 

LETTERS  FROM  STUDENTS  AND  PROFESSIONAL  MEN,. 39  to  44 
=> 

DISCUSSION  OF   INQUIRIES, I.  to  VIII. 


449523 


HE  purpose  of  t(?is  boot?  is  to  lay  before  t|?e 
public   a   shetcl?   of  tl?e   field   of    practical 
sbort-(?and  in  sucl?  a  way  tl?at  persons  loob- 
ma    towards    it   for    occupation    may,    witl?    some 

degree  of  intelligence,    mdge  of  t[)e  situation. 
«  <  j     ( 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 


|fp0Jessi0i)<zil 

PROFESSIONAL  Stenographic  work  in  the  City  of 
New  York  comprises,  in  the  main,  the  reporting  of 
trials  and  legal  proceedings  in  courts  of  law  and  before 
referees,  arbitrators,  and  committees  ;  and  amanuensis  work* 
or  the  writing  of  dictations  in  law  offices,  insurance  offices, 
banking  offices  and  in  other  large  business  establishments; 
and  this  statement  applies,  with  some  modifications,  to 
every  city  in  this  country.  In  addition  to  this,  a  vast 
amount  of  literary  and  professional  work  is  accomplished 
by  the  aid  of  this  art. 

In  the  City  of  New  York  every  court  is  provided  with 
its  stenographer,  whose  duty  it  is  to  make  a  verbatim  report 
of  the  trial.  These  receive  salaries  ranging  from  two  to 
three  thousand  dollars  per  year,  depending  somewhat  upon 
the  rank  of  the  court  ;  and  in  addition  to  the  salary,  the 
stenographer  receives  fees  for  transcripts  of  his  notes,  deter- 
mined by  the  amount  of  work  done.  The  total  compensa- 
tion of  the  official  reporter  of  a  court  may  be  stated  ap- 
proximately as  from  twenty-five  hundred  to  three  thousand 
dollars  and  upwards. 


6  PRACTICAL  SHORT-  HAND. 

Great  as  is  the  number  of  cases  tried  in  court,  it  is 
probable  that  a  still  greater  number  are  tried  out  of  court, 
before  referees  and  commissioners.  Almost  all  of  these 
are  reported  in  the  same  manner  as  cases  tried  in  court, 
and  the  stenographer  in  general  practice  is  employed  for 
the  purpose.  His  compensation  is  entirely  by  fees  received 
according  to  the  amount  of  work  done  ;  the  usual  rate  being 
twenty-five  cents  per  folio  (  i  oo  words).  The  annual  income 
of  a  reporter  having  a  good  practice  in  this  field  is  from 
three  thousand  dollars  upwards. 


Krje    Jjerw    F\ep0r>iep  s 


CERTAIN  classes  of  cases  are  referred  by  the  courts  to 
lawyers,  before  whom  they  are  tried  out  of  court,  the  method 
of  procedure  being  precisely  the  same  as  if  the  trial  were 
before  a  judge.  The  "  hearings  "  occupy  from  one  to  two 
or  three  hours,  and  are  usually  at  intervals  of  a  week. 
Depending  upon  the  nature  of  the  suit  and  the  amount  of 
detail  and  the  intricacy  and  character  of  the  subject  matter  ; 
the  trial  of  these  "  references  "  continues  from  two  or  three 
months  to  three  or  four  years.  The  stenographer  takes  the 
testimony,  and  transcribes  it  within  a  day  or  two  after  the 
session,  so  that  the  counsel  may  have  opportunity  to  ex- 
amine it  before  the  subsequent  hearing.  The  record  of 
testimony  in  such  cases  varies  in  amount  from  two  or  three 
hundred  folios  to  five  or  six  thousand  folios. 

Stenographers  of  State  Courts  are  appointed  by  the 
judges;  their  duty  being  to  keep  a  short-hand  record  of 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  7 

proceedings  at  all  trials  in  the  courts  to  which  they  are 
attached,  the  compensation  for  that  service  being  paid  by 
the  State  or  City.  The  minutes  are  not  written  out  unless 
called  for  by  either  party  to  the  suit,  and  a  fee  regulated  by 
statute  is  paid  therefor  by  the  party  requiring  them. 

The  United  States  Courts  are  not  provided  by  law  with 
stenographers,  but  in  certain  districts,  particularly  New 
York  and  Brooklyn,  the  two  most  important  judicial  dis- 
tricts of  the  United  States,  the  judges  select  a  stenographer 
whom  they  recognize  as  the  official  reporter  of  the  causes 
tried  there.  The  rate  and  mode  of  compensation  are  the 
same  as  in  reference  cases. 

The  stenographer  who  reports  the  cases  does  not,  as  a 
rule,  write  out  his  own  notes,  but  employs  short-hand 
amanuenses  for  that  purpose,  dictating  his  notes  to  such 
assistants,  to  be  by  them  turned  into  long-hand.  The  great 
bulk  of  stenographic  reports  were,  until  a  comparatively 
recent  date,  written  in  long-hand,  sometimes  in  legal  cap 
form,  which  is  a  very  clumsy  way;  or  more  often  in  folio 
book  form.  Now,  however,  the  transcript  is  commonly 
made  by  the  type-writer,  the  stenographer  either  dictating 
to  a  rapid  operator  and  finishing  the  work  as  he  goes  along, 
or  employing  a  short-hand  amanuensis  skilled  in  the  use  of 
the  type-writer,  who  first  takes  the  dictation  in  short-hand, 
and  then  transcribes  by  the  writing  machine. 

The  reporter  who  takes  notes  all  day  in  court,  say  from 
eleven  o'clock  to  four,  will  have  equal  to  125  or  175  pages 
of  fools  cap  or  legal  cap,  if  written  in  long-hand,  and  more 
often  than  otherwise  he  is  required  to  produce  a  copy  of 


8  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

his  notes  for  the  use  of  counsel  next  morning  before  the 
opening  of  court.  This  requires  the  employment  of  several 
short-hand  amanuenses  (from  three  to  five  or  six),  who, 
after  taking  notes  from  the  reporter,  proceed  to  write  them 
out.  It  is  not  an  unusual  thing  that  a  trial  will  last  many 
days  and  even  weeks,  necessitating  the  daily  writing  out  of 
the  report. 

These  reports  when  properly  made,  are  word  for  word 
reproductions  of  the  questions  of  counsel  and  answers  of 
witnesses,  together  with  a  concise  and  accurate  statement 
of  all  other  proceedings  upon  the  trial ;  the  important  mat- 
ter being  that  the  testimony  shall  be  reported  with  absolute 
accuracy  and  without  omission. 

An  instance  of  the  way  in  which  reporting  of  important 
trials  is  done  will  perhaps  be  interesting  to  those  who  have 
never  had  the  opportunity  to  observe  or  know  how  such 
work  is  done.  Take,  for  example,  the  the  trial  of  the 
famous  case  of  the  United  States  of  America  vs.  JAMES  D. 
FISH,  President  of  the  late  Marine  Bank  of  New  York. 
The  trial  was  reported  by  the  writer  of  this  sketch  with  the 
aid  of  a  large  number  of  assistants,  and  occupied  about 
five  weeks.  The  stenographer  in  charge  took  verbatim 
notes  of  the  proceedings  of  the  entire  day;  an  equally 
competent  reporter  took  notes  with  him  for  one  hour,  and 
was  then  relieved  by  another  assistant,  the  entire  day  being 
thus  divided  into  four  or  five  nearly  equal  portions  or 
"  takes."  \s  the  gentleman  who  took  the  first  hour  "  take" 
was  relieved  by  a  successor,  he  would  proceed  to  the 
reporters'  room  and  dictate  his  notes  to  stenographic 


PRACTICAL  SHORT- HAND.  g 

amanuenses,  who  transcribed  them  as  rapidly  as  possible 
upon  the  type-writer.  This  method  was  followed  by  each 
reporter  as  he  came  out  of  court  with  his  "  take."  This 
mode  of  dividing  the  day  permitted  the  transcribing  of  the 
proceedings  to  begin  very  soon  after  the  opening  of  court, 
so  that  by  the  employment  of  a  large  number  of  amanu- 
enses to  write  out  the  reporters'  dictations  the  whole  day's 
proceedings  would  be  very  nearly  completed  at  the  adjourn- 
ment of  court.  On  the  other  hand,  the  reporter  in  charge 
being  there  and  taking  a  duplicate  set  of  notes  of  the  whole 
day  without  interruption,  responded  to  the  calls  of  the 
court  or  counsel  for  the  reading  of  any  portions  of  the 
minutes  during  the  day,  and  it  was  his  duty  also  at  the 
close  of  the  day  to  examine  and  complete  the  report  as 
transcribed  by  the  assistants  who  had  relieved  one  another 
during  the  day. 

The  amanuenses  employed  on  this  work  transcribed 
their  notes  by  the  type-writer  upon  specially  prepared 
paper  with  lithographing  ink.  Such  errors  as  were  found 
upon  revision  were  corrected  by  erasure  with  a  rubber,  and 
the  corrections  written  in  by  the  type- writer.  The  copy  as 
thus  prepared  was  transferred  to  lithgraphing  stones  and 
printed  by  the  lithographers  upon  linen  paper  in  book 
form,  and  ten  copies  of  each  page  were  made. 

By  this  method  the  stenographers'  work  was  completed, 
including  revision  and  correction,  at  varying  hours  of  the 
evening  from  seven  to  ten.  The  lithographers'  work  began 
as  soon  as  the  first  fifteen  or  twenty  pages  of  copy  were 
ready,  and  the  printing  completed  by  one  or  two  o'clock 


io  PRACTICAL  SHORT- HAND. 

in  the  morning.  By  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  the 
copy  was  put  in  order  by  the  stenographers'  clerks,  and 
delivered  at  nine  A.  M.  to  the  lawyers  engaged  in  the 
trial.  This  was  the  method  employed  each  day  of  the 
trial,  and  a  complete  verbatim  report  of  unfailing  accuracy 
of  each  day's  proceedings  was  delivered  on  the  next  morn- 
ing. The  number  of  persons  actually  employed  day  by  day 
upon  the  report  of  the  trial  as  above  described  was  from 
seventeen  to  twenty,  including  court  reporters,  short-hand 
amanuenses,  and  lithographers. 

Of  course  this  is  not  the  usual  manner  of  procedure  in 
reporting  cases  in  court,  which  is  that  the  reporter  takes 
notes  all  day,  and  works  late  into  the  night  with  amanuenses, 
or  takes  notes  for  a  half  day,  and  is  then  relieved  by  an  asso- 
ciate who  takes  the  remainder,  thus  dividing  each  day's  labor. 


IN  legal  reporting,  the  speed  varies  from  75  or  80  words 
per  minute  to  200  or  more,  depending  very  much  upon  the 
habit  of  speech  of  both  lawyer  and  witness ;  and  there  is 
seldom  found  either  of  these  parties  to  an  examination  who 
will  not  at  times  put  his  question  or  deliver  his  answer  very 
rapidly.  In  every  day's  work  the  speed  is  almost  certain  to 
range  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  figures  named;  the 
average  per  minute  for  one  or  two  hours  often  being  150 
words. 

An  experienced  stenographer  will  scarcely  undertake  to 
state  what  speed  he  is  capable  of,  because  he  knows  that 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  1 1 

the  necessities  of  particular  occasions  bring  out  his  best 
ability  in  that  respect,  and  will  often  carry  him  to  so  swift 
a  pace  that  he  would  not  venture  to  assert  it  as  a  speed  he 
could  depend  upon,  even  if  there  were  any  way  by  which 
he  could  determine  the  number  of  words  per  minute,  as  for 
instance  if  he  were  timed  by  the  watch. 


OF  the  numerous  short-hand  writers  in  cities  like  New 
York,  San  Francisco,  Washington,  Boston,  Chicago  and 
Buffalo,  those  who  are  sufficiently  skilled  for  professional 
reporting  are  comparatively  few.  Of  these,  those  who  are 
in  the  truer  sense  of  the  word  experts  — equal  by  reason  of 
their  manual  skill,  alertness  of  mind,  and  general  informa- 
tion, to  the  most  difficult  emergencies  of  legal  and  scientific 
reporting — are  still  more  rare. 


rr)<zrr)uer)Sis 

IN  learning  this  art,  however,  the  matter  of  the  skill 
requisite  for  emergencies  need  not  be  taken  into  account  by 
the  student,  any  more  than  should  one  contemplating  the 
study  of  medicine  speculate  upon  the  possibility  of  his  be- 
coming of  the  highest  authority  in  the  profession,  as  having 
weight  in  determining  whether  or  not  he  should  proceed 
with  his  study ;  for,  although  many  stenographic  reporters 


12  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

are  required,  there  is  great  demand  for  a  still  larger  number 
of  stenographic  amanuenses.  The  employment  of  this  art 
for  business  and  professional  purposes  has  become  so 
general  that  the  supply  of  thoroughly  competent  amanu- 
enses is  not  and  has  not  been  for  some  time  past  equal  to 
the  demand.  The  employment  of  short-hand  amanuenses 
by  stenographic  reporters  constitutes  a  considerable  field  in 
itself,  and  there  is  also  difficulty  in  obtaining  sufficiently 
rapid  and  accurate  stenographic  clerks  for  general  business 
service.  The  latter  are  employed  at  salaries  ranging  from 
six  hundred  dollars  to  twelve  hundred  per  year,  and  some- 
times more,  depending  upon  the  character  of  the  business 
and  the  ability  of  the  stenographer. 

The  regular  fee  paid  amanuenses  for  taking  dictation 
from  stenographic  reporters  and  making  a  transcript  is  six 
cents  per  hundred  words,  in  New  York. 

This  class  of  work,  namely,  taking  dictation  from  stenog- 
raphic reporters,  is  something  the  value  of  which,  as  a 
means  of  acquiring  experience  for  all  other  kinds  of  work, 
as  well  as  being  also  a  stepping-stone  to  the  highest  posi- 
tion among  verbatim  reporters,  is  not  always  taken  into 
account  by  persons  seeking  to  enter  the  field  of  short-hand ; 
and  every  young  short-hand  writer  in  cities  where  stenog- 
raphic reporters  are  to  be  found  should,  in  my  opinion,  lose 
no  opportunity  of  doing  work  of  this  kind,  as  its  experience- 
giving  value  is  inestimable  to  such  a  person,  in  this :  that 
it  at  once  tests  the  young  writer's  accuracy  and  speed,  and 
affords  the  very  best  opportunity  to  learn  how  practical 
men  in  the  business  do  their  work. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  13 

I  have  said  that  the  supply  of  competent  amanuenses 
is  not  equal  to  the  demand.  It  is  true  that  there  are  many 
people  who  have  some  knowledge  of  short-hand,  and  some 
sort  of  skill,  who  cannot  find  employment,  ibut  it  is  because 
of  their  incompetency,  and  not  by  reason  of  an  over  supply. 
The  lawyer,  banker,  stenographer,  insurance  official,  or 
merchant,  who  has  documents  or  correspondence  to  dictate 
cannot  employ  a  half  educated,  incompetent  person  for  the 
purpose.  I  have  met  a  far  greater  number  of  incompetent 
people  who  offered  their  services  as  reporters  and  amanu- 
enses than  have  I  of  those  thoroughly  skilful.  There  is 
room  for  good  workmen  ;  there  are  too  many  bad  ones. 


THE  amanuensis  should  write  short-hand  at  the  rate  of 
65  to  100  words  per  minute,  and  should  read  his  writing 
accurately  and  rapidly.  Uncertainty  as  to  the  meaning  of 
particular  outlines  is  fatal  to  accuracy.  The  amanuensis 
should  be  able  to  transcribe  these  notes  into  a  neat,  legible 
long-hand  ;  and  should  also  be  able  to  use  the  type-writer. 
A  good  common  school  education  is  sufficient.  Habitual 
bad  spelling  or  bad  grammar  are  not  admissible,  even  in 
the  case  of  a  college  graduate. 

Wornerj  <ZLS 

J       J 

WHILE  the  heaviest  stenographic  reporting  is  done  by 
men,  it  is  a  field  in  which  women  have  shown  themselves 


14  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

exceedingly  apt  and  skilful.  In  New  York  City  there  are 
several  of  remarkable  ability,  who  are  doing  the  most  diffi- 
cult reporting.  But  as  amanuenses,  women  have  been  found 
most  acceptable  in  every  department  of  business.  Of 
course  they  are  not  better  fitted  for  this  business  than  men, 
but  considerable  experience  with  women  as  amanuenses 
and  reporters  in  my  own  employ,  and  extensive  observation 
of  their  employment  in  the  professions  and  in  business  gen- 
erally as  stenographic  clerks,  proves  to  me  that  they  not 
only  easily  become  as  skilful  as  men,  but  being  subjected 
to  sharp  competition,  are  driven  to  the  exercise  of  habitual- 
ly greater  care  in  their  work,  and  are  as  a  rule  found  always 
faithful  to  the  duties  of  their  position.  To  use  the  expres- 
sion of  a  well  known  lawyer  in  seeking  a  stenographic 
clerk,  "  The  women  mind  their  business  better." 

The  truth  is  that  the  haste  of  young  men  to  make  $5,000 
a  year  after  six  months'  study  and  practice  is  so  great  they 
neglect  to  earn  $600  first. 


Is  QDr)0r>i=  ri0:r)a   k)njicull  10 


THE  impression  prevails  that  short-hand  is  intricate, 
laborious,  and  to  all  but  a  few,  an  art  impossible  to  acquire. 
This  view  is  not  correct,  if  a  suitable  text-book  be  used  by 
the  student  under  proper  direction  and  tuition.  Of  the 
many  failures  to  learn  short-hand,  this  unfortunate  result  has 
been  traceable  either  to  the  voluminous  material  and  faulty 
plans  of  work  on  the  subject,  or  the  impractical  method  of 
instruction. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  15 

No  one,  in  my  opinion,  should  attempt  to  learn  short 
hand  without  a  teacher.  The  majority  of  self-taught  stu- 
dents acquire  faulty  methods  and  habits  of  writing  which 
never  can  be  overcome.  Self-teaching  always  leads  to  an 
unnecessary  amount  of  labor  and  immense  waste  of  time, 
even  if  the  effort  be  finally  successful ;  but  rarely  a  practical 
result  is  attained. 


MANY  expert  stenographers  of  this  day  believe  from 
their  own  experience,  that  from  five  to  seven  years  are  re- 
quired to  make  a  good  stenographer.  My  own  experience 
as  a  student  was  probably  not  unlike  theirs,  and  yet  what  I 
have  aided  others  to  accomplish  proves  that  the  method  by 
which  I,  after  much  unnecessary  hard  work,  learned  the  art 
was  absolutely  the  wrong  way.  A  short  chapter  from  my 
own  book  of  experience  will  show  the  difficulties  under 
which  I  labored.  As  a  lad  a  standard  work  on  phonography 
was  put  into  my  hands,  and  I  studied  it  for  a  few  months, 
when  for  some  reason  I  gave  it  up.  Years  afterward, 
having  lost  the  result  of  my  former  attempt,  I  renewed  the 
study  with  a  still  more  modern  standard  text-book.  With- 
out the  aid  of  a  teacher  or  the  advice  of  a  practical,  pro- 
fessional short-hand  writer,  I  studied  the  theory  and  prac- 
ticed upon  it  from  two  to  three  hours  per  day,  six  days  in 
the  week,  for  something  over  three  years,  during  all  that 
time  blindly  hoping  for  a  good  result,  and  yet  refraining 


1 6  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

from  communicating  with  those  who  might  have  materially 
aided  me.  Having  attained  a  supposed  speed  of  some- 
where from  150  to  1 80  words  per  minute,  I  applied  to  the 
stenographic  reporters  of  New  York  for  employment.  The 
first  attempt,  was  a  short  dictation  of,  say,  half  a  dozen 
pages  of  legal  cap  manuscript.  The  dictation  was  given 
slowly  and  carefully,  and  probably  at  about  the  rate  of  55 
or  60  words  a  minute.  Fortunately  I  was  not  asked  to  read 
it  on  the  spot.  I  reached  home  and  read  and  wrote  and 
re-read  and  re-wrote  it  from  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening 
until  after  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  I  presented  the 
work  the  next  morning  to  the  gentleman  who  gave  it,  my 
old  friend  Mr.  HENRY  M.  PARKHURST,  of  the  City  of  New 
York  (by  the  way,  the  first  in  this  country  to  write  phonog- 
raphy), and  after  examining  it  critically,  from  first  word  to 
last,  and  from  comma  to  period,  stated  that  he  was  inclined 
to  consider  it  fairly  well  done.  Even  in  this  instance,  how- 
ever, the  chances  of  my  complete  failure  were  as  twenty  to 
one,  and  nothing  but  good  fortune,  and  a  desperate  inten- 
tion to  succed  in  the  work  which  had  been  my  ambition  for 
many  years,  enabled  me  to  succeed  upon  this  trial. 


\Klr)<2> 


OF  course  the  chief  use  of  short-hand  is  for  business 
purposes.  But  in  addition  to  that  I  believe  every  student 
should  learn  it,  as  an  aid  in  advanced  study.  He  will  find 
it  especially  useful  in  taking  his  notes  in  college  or  seminary. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT- HAND.  17 

It  is  desirable  that  the  theological  student  should  be- 
come thoroughly  familiar  with  it,  not  only  for  the  purpose 
of  ordinary  note  taking  during  the  progress  of  his  studies, 
but  for  the  sake  of  the  great  assistance  it  will  be  to  him  in 
the  preparation  of  all  his  literary  work ;  for  thoughts  can  be 
so  much  more  rapidly  transferred  to  paper  by  means  of 
short-hand,  than  by  the  ordinary  mode  of  writing,  and  so 
much  more  of  the  subject  matter  can  be  brought  within 
the  range  of  the  eye  in  a  given  space,  it  being  more  com- 
pact and  legible  than  long-hand. 

The  law  student  will  find  it  not  only  of  the  greatest  use 
in  his  study,  but  throughout  his  entire  professional  work. 
Any  one  who  watches  the  trial  of  causes  in  courts,  sees 
either  the  lawyer  or  his  clerk  busy  making  fragmentary 
notes  of  testimony  which  is  being  given  ten  times  faster 
than  he  can  follow.  Here  the  advantage  of  knowing  short- 
hand is  unquestioned. 

Some  years  ago  it  came  to  the  notice  of  the  writer  that 
an  eminent  Judge  in  the  City  of  New  York  was  using,  as 
an  aid  in  making  minutes  of  trials,  as  much  as  he  could 
remember  of  phonography,  learned  by  an  old-fashioned 
method  over  twenty  years  ago.  I  proposed  to  him  in- 
struction by  the  method  we  were  then  and  are  now  teach- 
ing ;  to  this  he  assented,  and  for  three  or  four  years  past 
he  has  made  for  his  own  use  as  a  Judge  voluminous  min- 
utes in  short-hand  of  the  trials  at  which  he  presided,  as  this 
Judge's  official  minute  book  will  show ;  and  those  minutes 
are  now,  as  occasion  may  require,  transcribed  by  the  re- 
porters in  our  office. 


1 8  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

The  New  York  Tribune,  a  few  months  ago,  contained 
the  following  paragraph : 

"Lord  ROSEUKRY,  speaking  of  'Volapiik,'  says  that  he  regards 
"  with  awe  the  scheme  for  elaborating  a  language  for  international  cor- 
"  respondence ;  but  he  does  firmly  believe  that  within  a  century  cor- 
"  respondence  in  the  same  tongue  will  lie  carried  on  in  some  form  of 
"  short-hand,  and  that  the  stress  and  pressure  of  public  life  will  make 
"  it  a  necessity." 

This  is  a  very  significant  remark.  One  hundred  years 
hence  may  find  that  such  a  revolution  as  here  indicated 
will  have  swept  the  present  cumbrous,  arbitrary  and  illegible 
forms  of  written  communication  out  of  existence.  But  for 
the  present  it  calls  to  our  attention  very  vividly  the  immense 
pressure  upon  the  men  who  do  the  world's  work,  and  which 
requires  that  there  shall  be  within  their  reach  the  means  of 
communicating  their  thoughts  to  paper  as  rapidly  as  they 
can  formulate  them  in  their  minds.  The  short-hand  writer 
has  become  for  this  reason  one  of  the  most  impoitant  aids 
to  the  professional  and  the  business  man.  A  competent 
short-hand  amanuensis  tiebles  and  quadruples  the  business 
man's  ability  to  transact  business,  and  such  assistance  is 
becoming  yearly  in  greater  demand.  Complicated  machin- 
ery, such  as  the  electric  or  magnetic  writing  machine,  has 
been  devised  towards  meeting  this  pressing  demand  of  the 
times.  Marvelous  mechanical  results  have  been  attained, 
but  as  yet  there  is  no  serviceable  result  visible  which  gives 
even  a  fair  promise  of  practical  success  for  such  machinery. 
The  peculiarity  of  the  work  which  the  short-hand  writer  has 
to  do,  is  discriminating  intelligence.  That  being  the  fact, 
no  machinery  can  be  used  in  such  work  without  the  aid  of 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  19 

the  same  quality  and  amount  of  brains  that  are  now  re- 
quired of  the  short-hand  writer. 

The  day,  in  our  opinion,  can  never  come,  and  that  for 
the  most  obvious  reasons,  when  the  short-hand  writer, 
skilled  in  his  art  and  trained  in  the  ways  of  business,  can  be 
supplanted  by  a  machine. 


0T     Success. 

THE  question  who  is  adapted  for  this  work  is  important. 
I  do  not  by  any  means  say  that  every  body  is  suited  to  it  as 
a  business.  I  consider  the  requisites  and  conditions  of  suc- 
cess to  be  about  as  follows  :  ist.  An  intelligent,  fairly  edu- 
cated, thoroughly  industrious  student  of  either  sex.  2d.  A 
work  on  short-hand,  the  basis  of  the  theory  of  which  is 
phonetics,  and  that  work  to  be  the  most  simple  presentation 
of  the  materials  of  short-hand  and  their  theory  which  it  is 
possible  to  produce.  3.  Instruction  by  a  teacher,  and  that 
teacher  to  be  not  simply  a  theorist,  but  a  theorist  who  has 
had  practical  experience  in  professional  work.  These  re- 
quirements fulfilled,  by  devoting  three  hours  a  day,  a  pupil 
will  acquire  the  ability  to  write  short-hand  perfectly  in  three 
months,  and  in  three  months  more  attain  such  skill  as  will 
enable  him  or  her  to  do  well  the  work  of  an  amanuensis. 

^)vsierr)s   0]    ^l}0:pf=jp.<zi:r)<a. 

THE  systems  of  short-hand  writing  devised  since  TYRO 
wrote  CICERO'S  orations  in  some  sort  of  abbreviated  writing, 


20  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

number  up  to  the  present  time  several  hundreds.  A  large 
portion  of  these  are  arbitrary  arrangements  of  signs  which 
save  time  in  writing.  Scores  of  systems  have  been  arranged 
which  have  a  basis  of  systematic  theory,  but  which  in 
development  and  use  are  also  more  or  less  arbitrary. 

A  little  over  fifty  years  ago  ISAAC  PITMAN  formulated 
the  phonetic  theory  of  writing  and  devised  a  phonographic 
system.  From  this  system  have  been  developed,  since  his 
own,  BENN  PITMAN'S,  GRAHAM'S,  MUNSON'S  and  BURNS' 
systems  of  phonography.  All  of  these  systems  have  re- 
markably skillful  representatives  in  practical  short-hand 
now.  There  are  to-day  in  New  York  short-hand  writers 
whose  skill,  swiftness  and  competency  are  unquestioned  in 
their  profession,  representing  every  one  of  these  five.  It 
cannot  truthfully  be  said,  therefore,  that  either  one  of 
these  five  systems  of  short-hand  will  produce,  because 
of  its  use,  a  better  short-hand  writer  than  any  of  the 
others.  This,  however,  is  true  of  the  most  modern  standard 
systems,  viz.,  that  they  are  all  founded  upon  and  are  the 
outgrowth  of  the  phonetic  system  formulated  and  devised 
by  ISAAC  PITMAN.  Each  is  supposed  to  have,  and  un- 
doubtedly does  have,  some  advantages  in  respect  of  ar- 
rangement or  of  practical  use  over  the  parent  system ;  so 
that  the  advantage  of  one  over  another  must  depend  upon 
the  way  in  which  it  is  arranged  and  presented  in  its  text- 
book. 

We  think  it  may  be  correctly  and  justly  said  that  Mr. 
JAMES  E.  MUNSON'S  work  on  short-hand  was,  when  pub- 
lished, a  better  arranged  book  for  instruction  and  put  forth 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  21 

a  better  presentation  of  the  subject  than  any  text-book 
previously  given  to  the  public. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  system  still  later  published  by 
Mrs.  E.  B.  BURNS.  This  last  is  the  text-book  and  the 
system  taught  by  our  school,  with  such  modifications  as  our 
experience  approves.  We  do  not  desire,  nor  are  we  called 
upon,  to  say  that  this  system  is  better  than  every  other. 
The  reason  we  teach  this  system  is,  that  it  has  in  all  respects 
been  proved  to  be  as  swift,  as  accurate,  and  as  legible  as 
the  best  of  all  the  others,  and  is  the  system  by  the  use 
of  which  in  our  school  we  have  produced  unsurpassed,  and 
in  some  respects  unequalled,  results. 

When  you  meet  a  stenographer  the  inquiry  is,  How 
GOOD  A  WORKMAN?  The  question,  what  system  he  uses,  is 
of  little  importance.  When  a  person  desires  to  learn  short- 
hand, then,  the  question  of  means  to  be  employed  is  of  the 
utmost  importance.  For  in  the  old  fashioned  way  of  pro- 
cedure, hundreds  attempted  to  learn  the  art  where  one 
actually  acquired  it.  An  inquiry  of  this  one  successful 
person  among  the  hundreds  of  failures  would  show  his  ex- 
perience to  be  appalling  to  the  beginner.  In  these  days  a 
better  method  prevails,  and  competent  teachers  can  be 
found  for  instruction  in  simpler  systems  of  writing. 


ye.<2ier)£r>  ©J 


A  SINGLE  suggestion  as  to  the  teacher  of  this  useful 
art.    First  of  all,  employ  some  one  whom  you  have  reason 


22 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 


to  believe  has  ability  to  give  instruction,  and  who  also  can 
show  some  record  of  accomplishment  and  skill  as  a  practi- 
cal worker  in  the  business  of  short-hand  writing;  and  lastly, 
be  very  careful  not  to  be  tempted  by  the  statements  of 
persons  who  will  offer  to  teach  you  a  worthy  art  in  a  few 
weeks,  and  also  guarantee  you  a  remunerative  position. 


SHORT-HAND. 


FISH'S  METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION 


HV      MAIL. 


PROSPECTUS. 


JAMES  H.   FISH,  )  \  Miss    EMILY    F.    ANGELL, 

MRS.  c.  E.  BROCKWAY,  \        ±R$\rue\0r$.        -^  MRS   s   A   EROWNELL. 


OFFICE: 

No.  229  BROADWAY,  FIRST  FLOOR,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 

SCHOOL: 

FRANKLIN  BUILDING,  No.  186  REMSEN  STREET,  NEAR  COURT  STREET, 
BROOKLYN. 


Address:  JAMES  H.  FISH,  P.  0.  Box  138,  New  York. 


PLAN  OF  INSTRUCTION  BY  MAIL. 


The  Student  is  furnished  as  follows : 

1.  The  Text  Book,  "  Burns'  Phonic  Short-hand." 

2.  Our  own  Scheme  of  Instruction,  comprising  the  fullest 

and  simplest  directions  for  study. 

3.  The  stationery  and  materials  for  study  and  practice, 

being  the  same  as  those  used  by  us  in  our  profes- 
sional work. 


rT/e!r)©<a. 


THE  method  of  procedure  is :  The  student  having  mas- 
tered the  matter  of  the  sounds,  proceeds  to  learn  and  prac- 
tice upon  the  signs  and  following  lessons,  and  as  he  pro- 
gresses to  the  best  result  which  he  is  able  to  attain  upon 
each  successive  lesson,  he  sends  to  us,  by  mail,  his  test  sheet 
of  that  lesson,  with  any  and  every  question  which  may 
arise  in  his  work.  By  return  of  mail,  a  letter  is  sent, 
answering  his  questions  and  returning  the  test  sheet  with 
its  corrections. 


26  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 


sr 


er>rr) 


0 


STUDENTS  are  enrolled  at  any  time  throughout  the  year 
and  their  term  of  study  continues  until  the  course  is  com- 
pleted. The  course  is  divided  into  five  parts  or  sections, 
and  the  work  is  so  arranged  that  a  fair  student,  giving  two 
or  three  hours  per  day  without  interruption,  finishes  each 
one  in  three  weeks,  thus  requiring  fifteen  weeks  to  master 
the  whole  course.  As  matter  of  fact,  the  students  who 
receive  our  instruction,  are  usually  so  occupied  with  busi- 
ness or  other  duties,  that  no  specified  amount  of  time  can 
be  devoted  to  study,  and  our  system  enables  them  to  work 
upon  it  as  time  serves,  completing  the  course  as  soon  as 
they  can,  without  limit  of  time. 


eb< 


<r\l 


FOR  the  entire  course,  including  Text-Book  and  Mate- 
rials, $30.00. 

Jfeiyrr^fs. 

The  charge  of  $30.00  is  divided  into  five  payments,  the 
first  one  being  $10,  and  each  subsequent  one  $5  ;  the  pay- 
ments being  made  at  the  beginning  of  the  several  sections. 

This  amount  is  an  invariable  charge,  without  addition 
for  subsequent  supplies  of  stationery  during  the  course. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-  HAND. 


oj    irje 


1.  THE  simplest  system  of  Standard  Phonography  that 
has  been  produced. 

2.  Instruction  by   teachers  who   have    been    and   are 
practitioners  of  the  Art  of  Short-hand  upon  a  large  scale 
in  the  chief  city  in  the  United  States  for  law  reporting,  and 
who  have  made  the  professional  practice  of  Short-hand  a 
success  for  many  years. 

3.  A  system  of  instruction  verified  by  constant  written 
examination,  the  advantage  of  which  is,  that  every  pupil 
has  cumulative  files  of  instruction  for  reference. 

4.  The  saving  of  time  to  busy  persons,  that  would  be 
consumed  in  going  to  and  from  oral  lessons. 

5.  The  application  to  immediate  practical  purposes  of 
every  principle  acquired.     As  soon  as  a  new  principle  is 
learned,  the  student  is  taught  to  use  it  in  conjunction  with 
every  other  one  previously  acquired.     The  result  is  that  our 
students  are  actually  writing  short-hand  within  two  weeks 
of  beginning  study. 

6.  The  course  completed,  the  student  is  in  possession 
of  skill  to  write  anything  perfectly  in  the  "reporting"  style 
of  short-hand.      We   have   no   cumbrous    stages  such  as 
"Corresponding  Style,"  "Semi-Reporting  Style,"  and  "  Ad- 
vanced Reporting  Style."     What  is  suitable  for  reporting 
is  also  for  correspondence,  and  our  students  will  use  the  same 
short-hand  for  all  purposes  from  the  beginning. 


28  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

7.  Our  text-book  and  course  of  instruction  supply  the 
student  with  all  that  is  necessary,  without  the  subsequent 
use  of  dictionaries  or  manuals  of  set  forms;  it  being  left  to 
the  judgment  and  good  sense  of  every  writer  to  construct 
his  or  her  own  "  outlines  "  by  applying  to  the  ample  mate- 
rials acquired  in  study,  the  principles  learned  at  the  same 
time. 

Will  if 


WE  do  not  know  and  shall  not  undertake  to  predict  in 
any  particular  case.  All  depends  on  the  student's  ability 
and  the  amount  of  time  given  to  study.  We  have  had 
students  complete  the  course  and  learn  to  write  short-hand 
perfectly  but  slowly  in  two  months,  and  in  one  case  a 
student  by  mail,  distant  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  com- 
pleted the  course  in  one  month,  giving  all  her  time  to  it. 
But  while  it  is  intended  to  be  a  fifteen  weeks'  task,  the 
majority  of  students  cannot  control  sufficient  time  for  study, 
and  are  more  likely  to  take  much  longer  than  fifteen  weeks. 

All  we  say  is,  this  is  a  fifteen  weeks'  course  by  mail  for 
a  good  student,  giving  two  or  three  hours  per  day.  Our 
undertaking  is  simply  to  give  such  a  course  of  instruction 
as  will  enable  a  pupil  to  write  perfectly  legible,  compact 
short-hand,  no  matter  how  quickly  or  slowly  he  may  chose 
to  study.  When  the  pupil  can  write  short-hand  as  we  write 
it,  we  have  accomplished  our  purpose.  On  completing  the 
course  our  students  write  from  35  to  65  words  a  minute, 
and  increase  of  speed  comes  by  practice  from  dictation. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  29 


c-err)   Ifosiiiorjs  Jz> 


AGAIN  that  depends  upon  the  person.  Good  short- 
hand writers  are  and  always  will  be  in  demand,  and  com- 
petent ones  always  find  positions.  Many  establishments 
are  doirig  without  because  good  ones  cannot  be  had. 


\A7rj0if    \A7c  /lerree  f©   k) 


1.  To  give  our  students  such  instruction  as  only  experi- 
enced and  competent  stenographers  can  give;  our  teachers 
being  accomplished  workers  in  practical  short-hand. 

2.  To  teach  every  student  to  write  short-hand  well,  by 
the  time  this  course  of  instruction  above  outlined  is  com- 
plete, although  the  rate  of  speed  then  will  not  be  great,  and 
must  be  increased  by  practice. 

3.  Any  students  who   for  any  reason  do   not  appear 
competent  to  go  through  to  a  successful  completion  of  the 
course  will  be  so  advised,  and  their  tuition  fees  returned, 
less  the  actual  expense  to  us  of  books  and  stationery  used. 


uesli0r)  ©j    ©000 


WE  received  recently  a  very  significant  letter,  of  which 
a  copy  is  appended,  the  name  and  address  being  omitted  : 


30  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

,  Va.,  Jan.  28,  1888. 

MK.  J.  H.  FISH: 

DEAR  SIR. — Your  "Sketch  ol  Practical  Short-Hand"  received. 

I  am  particularly  anxious  to  learn  short-hand  as  soon  as  possible. 

Will  you  please  be  so  kind  as  to  answer  a  few  questions.  After  a 
young  lady  has  acquired  this  art,  what  is  the  next  best  step  for  utilizing  it  ? 

What  salary  is  usually  paid  for  an  amanuensis  ?  and  by  whom  are 
they  mostly  employed  ?  After  my  course  is  completed,  and  if  you  are 
pleased  with  the  result,  will  you  du  me  the  favor  to  aid  me  in'securing 
a  position  ? 

When  must  the  first  $10  be  paid. 

Now,  sir,  I  am  depending  entirely  upon  an  advertisement,  being 
absolutely  ignorant  of  both  you  and  your  method.  You  know  as  well 
as  I  do  that  very  few  advertisements  pay,  so  I  beg  pardon  for  entertain- 
ing some  doubt  as  to  the  solid  worth  of  this  one.  Of  course  you  are 
safe,  as  you  get  all  or  a  part  of  your  money  before  the  work  is  com- 
pleted ;  the  question  is,  I  must  trust  you.  If  I  get  "  value  received  " 
I  would  not  regret  spending  twice  the  amount. 

Please  assure  me  that  you  will  do  your  whole  duty,  will  give  me 
an  intelligent  understanding  of  short-hand,  and  I'll  gladly  pay,  and 
thank  you.  Very  respectfully, 

N P . 

With  one  exception,  we  think  the  questions  raised  by 
the  above  letter  are  fully  answered  in  the  Sketch.  The 
main  question  here  is,  however,  as  to  the  honesty  and  good 
faith  of  our  establishment.  The  trouble  is  that  the  public 
prints  are  full  of  advertisements  offering  instruction  in  im- 
portant departments  of  the  useful  aits,  and  holding  out 
extravagant  inducements  to  people  to  pay  their  money 
upon  some  guarantee  of  positions  when  courses  of  study 
are  completed.  It  is  so  evident  to  every  thoughtful  person 
that  guarantees  of  this  kind  are  impossible  (and  therefore 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  31 

fraudulent)  that  it  leads  to  strict  and  careful  inquiry  as  to 
the  good  faith  of  those  who  are  actually  responsible  in  all 
their  undertakings.  We  prefer  to  have  the  questions  frankly 
raised,  as  in  this  letter,  because  it  justifies  us  in  calling  at- 
tention to  our  continuous  business  history  of  fourteen  years 
in  the  practice  of  short-hand  in  the  City  of  New  York,  in 
the  service  of  the  legal  profession  at  large,  of  the  law  de- 
partments of  the  United  States  Government,  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  and  of  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn, 
and  also  of  the  courts  of  the  United  States  in  New  York 
and  Brooklyn,  in  three  of  which  Mr.  FISH  and  his  assist- 
ants are  now  the  official  stenographers. 

We  think  also  that  the  letters  from  former  pupils  and 
from  professional  and  literary  men,  published  in  our  Sketch, 
are  worthy  of  consideration  by  those  who  desire  to  judge 
of  our  good  faith.  We  will  at  any  time,  upon  application, 
give  the  addresses  of  persons  who  have  taken  our  course, 
many  of  whom  are  now  engaged  in  the  business. 


THEY  are  persons  from  15  to  50  years  of  age,  ladies  and 
gentlemen  ;  they  are  students,  teachers,  clerks,  business 
men,  secretaries  of  corporations ;  they  are  usually  people  of 
little  leisure,  who  give  half  an  hour  or  more  per  day  to  the 
study  of  phonography.  They  push  along  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible, and  some  of  our  best  students  have  been  unable,  by 
reason  of  various  hindrances,  to  complete  inside  of  a  year. 


32  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

Our  School  comprises  students  in  New  York  City  and 
State,  New  Jersey,  New  Hampshire,  Maine,  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Vir- 
ginia, District  of  Columbia,  Indiana,  Ohio,  Iowa,  Min- 
nesota, Nebraska,  Arizona,  Colorado,  Wyoming,  Washing- 
ton Territory,  California,  Texas,  Louisiana,  and  other 
States. 

Success  of  Irje  @)cr)<z>01. 

AFTER  several  years  of  ornl  teaching,  this  present  method 
was  adopted  several  years  ago,  and  has  been  and  is  con- 
ducted in  conjunction  with  a  very  large  practice  in  law 
reporting.  Our  long  established  connections  entitled  us  to 
the  confidence  of  those  to  whom  our  Plan  of  Instruction 
was  first  offered,  but  we  present  it  now  to  those  who  wish 
to  learn  the  art,  as  an  institution  which  has  won  success  in 
its  undertakings  in  every  part  of  this  country,  and  possesses 
the  good  will  and  confidence  of  every  pupil  upon  its  rolls. 


Oral  Instruction  in  Short-Hand, 

DAY  AND   EVENING. 


PISH'S 


FOR 

TECHNICAL  AND  PRACTICAL  INSTRUCTION   IN 


FRANKLIN  BUILDING,  No.  186  REMSEN  STREET,  NEAR  COURT  STREET, 
—  «>>  Brooklyn,  BJ.  Y.  -V^— 


JAMES  H.  FISH.  )       INSTRUCTORS:      j  M"s  EM'LY  F"  ANGELL' 

MRS,  C.   E.   BROCKWAY.S  (Mns.  S.   A.   BROWNELL, 


Separate   Instruction  for   Qacl}  ^Student. 


^-  H  O  U   R  S  .  -^ 
©:OO   A.    M.  to   5    F».    M.    and    7 :  3O    P.    M.    to    9    F>.    Ml. 


STUDENTS  MAY  SELECT  SUCH  HOURS  AS  SUIT  THEMSELVES. 


FISH'S  SCHOOL  OF  SHORT-HAND, 


FOR  many  years  we  have  given  oral  instruction  in  the 
office  where  our  general  business  is  done,  but  have  now 
separated  the  instruction  from  contact  with  our  general 
office  work. 

Our  school  is  opened  in  response  to  a  demand  by  the 
public  for  honest  and  faithful  service  in  teaching  short-hand, 
the  type-writer,  and  all  matters  of  detail  connected  with 
this  business. 

Short-hand  writing  has  become  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant departments  of  industrial  art  in  all  the  great  cities. 
Of  the  persons  who  study  short-hand  without  a  teacher,  very 
few  succeed  in  becoming  efficient,  practical  workers ;  and 
the  successful  ones  do  so  only  after  a  long  period  of  hard 
work  and  after  many  disappointments  in  the  attempt  to  put 
what  they  have  learned  to  practical  use.  The  few  who 
succeed  in  this  way  by  no  means  supply  the  demand  for 
competent  short  hand  writers  in  all  the  departments  of 
business  in  which  their  services  are  required :  and  it  being 
possible  now  to  obtain  good  practical  instruction,  the  old 
method  of  acquiring  short-hand  without  a  teacher  is  almost 
entirely  abandoned. 


36  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

The  public  demand  is  not  alone  for  instruction,  but  that 
the  School  shall  have  experienced,  practical  short-hand 
writers  as  teachers,  and  also  the  practical  facilities  for  dealing 
thoroughly  and  j  ustly  with  those  who  come  to  it  for  instruction. 

This  School  is  located  in  the  FRANKLIN  BUILDING,  186 
Remsen  Street,  Brooklyn,  near  Court  Street,  a  new  and 
commodious  building. 

Student's  may  select  their  own  hours  for  study,  between 
9  A.  M.  and  5  p.  M.,  on  such  regular  days  of  the  week  as 
may  suit  their,  convenience.  Each  student  will  be  dealt 
with  separately,  or  small  classes  formed,  as  circumstances 
and  progress  require. 

We  propose  to  so  train  our  pupils  in  the  details  of  prac- 
tical work,  as  a  part  of  their  course  of  instruction,  that 
they  will  be  able  to  do  intelligently  the  work  of  any  busi- 
ness house  in  which  they  may  obtain  a  position,  and  that 
we  may  be  able  conscientiously  to  recommend  them  for 
employment. 

In  offering  the  advantages  of  our  School  to  the  public, 
we  wish  to  be  distinctly  understood  as  declining  to  guarantee 
a  position  to  any  student.  We  desire  only  such  students 
as  have  a  sufficient  appreciation  of  the  value  and  impor- 
tance of  this  work  to  be  willing  to  pay  fairly  for  the  ad- 
vantages we  offer. 

It  must  be  obvious  to  all  who  read  the  promises  issued 
by  different  people  who  advertise  instruction  in  various 
branches  of  industrial  work,  that  the  inducements  common- 
ly held  out,  of  absolutely  certain  employment  after  a  very 
limited  amount  of  study,  are  misleading  and  unfair. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  37 

W e.  /iqrce  io  IG)O. 

viS-       (TV 

1.  To  GIVE  our  students  such  instruction  as  only  experi- 
enced and  competent  stenographers  can  give,  our  teachers 
being  accomplished  workers  in  practical  short-hand! 

2.  To  carry  that  instruction  into  thorough  training  for 
practical  work  of  the  business  of  short-hand,  including  the 
use  of  the  type- writer,  and  an  acquaintance  with  business 
methods. 


FOR  the  entire  course,  fitting  the  pupil  for  a  business 
position,  including  both  short-hand  and  type- writer,  seventy 
five  dollars. 

No  extra  charges  of  any  kind  whatever. 

No  limitation  as  to  time  in  which  to  accomplish  the  full 
course,  except  that  each  student  will  be  required  to  give 
such  regular  and  careful  attention  to  his  work  as  we  con- 
sider necessary  for  progress. 

Tuition  fees  are  to  be  paid  in  five  payments  of  fifteen 
dollars  each. 


i.    WE  are  prepared  to  offer  instruction  in  short-hand 
alone  at  fifteen  dollars  per  month.     No  extras  for  books  or 


449523 


38  PRACTICAL  SHORT- HAND. 

materials,     2.   A  three  months  course  of  instruction  on  the 
type- writer,  two  hours  practice  each  day,  for  twenty  dollars. 


JfWciice. 

As  SOON  as  the  pupils  become  competent  to  write  short- 
hand or  upon  type-writer  from  dictation,  good  readers  will 
be  in  attendance  to  dictate. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  39 


LETTERS, 


The  following  letters  came  in  the  usual  course  of  busi- 
ness, and  without  solicitation  : 

MR.  JAMES  H.  FISH,  Room  138,  P.  O.  Building,  City. : 

DEAR  SIR. — Will  you  kindly  send  to  me  one  of  your  pamphlets, 
"  A  Sketch  of  Short-hand  "  ?  I  have  heard  several  inquiries  lately 
about  your  course  of  instruction  in  short  hand,  by  correspondence.  I 
am  always  pleased  to  recommend  your  method,  as  my  own  lessons 
under  your  tuition,  were  so  very  satisfactory. 
Very  respectfully, 

(Miss)  GERTRUDE  E.  CAMP, 
Care  of  M.  J.  PAILI.ARD  &  Co.,  680  Broadway. 


GREEN  BAY,  WISCONSIN. 
MR.  FISH  : 

I  enclose  Declaration  of  Independence,  having  practised  it  until, 
upon  writing  it  from  dictation  the  seventh  time,  I  reached  41  words  per 
minute.  I  think  I  could  have  made  it  45,  easily,  with  another  copy. 
and  should  have  done  so  if  my  supply  of  paper  had  held  out.  Please 
forward  a  new  supply  as  I  shall  need  it,  as  I  shall  of  course  continue 
steady  practice.  What  would  be  your  terms  for  occasional  criticism  of 
work  ? 

Respectfully, 

B.  L.  GEER. 


40  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

FLINT,  MICH. 
JAMES  H.  FISH  : 

SIR.  —  My  papers,  with  corrections,  were  received  to-day.  I 
should  have  been  discouraged  with  the  numerous  mistakes  I  had  made, 
if  you  had  not  remarked  that  my  work  was  not  bad.  I  had  no  more  than 
sent  them  when  I  realized  I  had  made  a  mistake  with  the  tick  for  the. 

The  instructions  are  so  plain  and  the  corrections  and  explanations  are 
so  clearly  given,  that  I  don't  think  I  can  make  so  many  mistakes  again. 

I  realize  the  fact  that  I  should  have  contracted  many  bad  habits  in 
studying  alone.  • 

Respectfully,  MINNIE  W.  GOSS. 


JAMES  H.  FISH,  ESQ.  : 

******* 
I  have  learned  more  by  your  instructions  in  the  last  letter  than  I 
should  have  found  out  by  the  book  in  a  month. 

Yours  truly,  C.  P.  RUSSELL, 

Culvert  Block,  Jackson,  Mich. 


MEDIA,  DELAWARE  Co.,  PA. 
JAMES  H.  FISH,  ESQ.  : 

DEAR  SIR. — Enclosed  please  find  copy  of  "  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence," written  by  myself  (after  some  practice)  at  the  rate  of  60 
to  65  words  per  minute.  Some  parts  of  it  were  written  much  faster,  but 
other  parts  being  written  slower,  of  course,  brought  the  average  down. 

I  am  getting  along  very  well  with  my  short-hand.  Already  I  find 
it  of  great  service  to  me,  financially  as  well  as  otherwise. 

Many  thanks  for  your  kind  and  courteous  explanations  and  correc- 
tions. 

Have  you  ever  heard  from  a  person  by  the  name  of , 

of  Wilkes-Barre,   Pa.,  also  from ,  of  Utica,  New  York? 

They  wrote  me  in  regard  to  your  method  of  teaching  and  the  system 
taught.  It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  recommend  both.  I  wondered  if 
they  were  under  your  instruction. 

Very  respectfully,  E.  F.  BULLARD. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  41 

The  following  letters  were  solicited  by  us  : 

GREENVII.I.K,  MICH. 
MR.  JAMES  H.  FISH: 

DEAR  SIR. — Your  favor  of  the  25th  ult.  came  duly  to  hand,  and  I 
most  willingly  comply  with  your  request.  You  may  use  as  much  or  as 
little  of  it  as  yon  may  see  fit. 

Having  taken  a  course  of  lessons  by  mail  with  Mr.  I.  H.  FISH 
during  the  past  winter,  I  can  conscientiously  recommend  him  and  his 
method  of  teaching  short-hand  to  all  who,  like  myself,  have  but  limi'ed 
time  and  have  not  the  advantage  of  an  oral  teacher.  At  the  completion 
of  the  course,  I  was  perfectly  satisfied  tha  the  thoroughly  understood 
the  subject  and  the  best  manner  of  teaching  it. 

His  treatment  of  me  was  perfect  in  every  respect,  and  I  feel  war- 
ranted in  saying,  that  all  who  have  anything  to  do  with  Mr.  FISH  will 
find  that  he  will  do  just  as  he  agrees,  and  more  too.  It  was  simply  a 
pleasure  to  me  to  take  lessons  with  him,  and  the  lessons  did  not  drag 
along,  but  increased  in  interest  with  each  succeeding  one  until  the  close, 
and  when  completed  I  did  not  regret  the  time,  labor  and  expense  to 
which  I  had  been  put. 

Yours,  most  respectfully, 

\V.  G.  CLARK. 


GREEN  BAY,  WISCONSIN. 
MR.  JAMES  H.  FISH: 

DEAR  SIR. — Having  completed  your  course  in  Phonic  Short-hand, 
I  am  more  than  ever  pleased  with  your  plan  of  instruction  by  mail,  and 
the  prompt,  thorough,  careful  manner  in  which  your  part  of  the  work 
has  been  performed.  I  would  advise  others  as  I  have  two  of  my 
friends  who  think  of  studying  short-hand,  "  Take  lessons  of  Mr.  FISH, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  be  satisfied." 

Yours  very  truly, 

B.  L.  GEEK. 


42  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

PASO  DEI.  NORTE,  MEXICO. 
JAMES  H.  FISH,  ESQ.  : 

MY  DEAR  SIR. — Yours  of  the  26th  ult.  is  at  hand.  I  am  reluctant 
to  advertise  myself  as  a  stenographer  or  even  a  student  of  stenog- 
raphy, until  my  success  in  this  undertaking  is  somewhat  assured ;  but  I 
have  every  confidence  in  your  method  of  instruction  and  wish  you  suc- 
cess in  your  efforts.  After  pursuing  your  course  of  instruction  since 
the  1st  of  January,  although  at  a  great  distance  from  you  and  suffering 
frequent  interruptions  caused  by  illness  and  business  calls  to  distant 
points,  I  am  surprised  at  the  progress  I  have  made  —which  is  due  to 
the  thorougness  of  your  system  and  your  painstaking  and  courteous 
relations  with  your  student. 

Very  sincerely  yours,  . 

(Signature  omitted  by  request.) 


We  are  permitted  by  the  writers  to  publish  the  follow- 
ing letters : 

HARVARD  UNIVERSITY,  CAMBRIDGE,  Mass. 

\Ve  have  been  assured  by  good  judges  that  Mr.  JAMES  H.  FISH  is 
a  skilful  stenographer  and  a  competent  teacher  of  Short-hand ;  and  his 
method  of  giving  instruction  by  mail  seems  to  us  practicable.  We 
should  therefore  be  glad  to  have  his  proposals  made  known  to  the 
Students  of  the  University. 

CHARLES  W.  ELIOT,  President. 
CHAS.  F.  DUN  BAR,  Dean. 


From   Hon.  CHAS.  L.  BENEDICT,  Judge  U.  S.  Court,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. 

To : 

I  have  had  occasion  to  know  Mr.  JAS.  H.  FISH,  and  to  observe 
his  methods,  and  I  cheerfully  say  *  *  *  that  he  will  perform  any- 
thing that  he  agrees  to  do. 

CHAS.  L.  BENEDICT. 
BROOKLYN. 


PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND.  43 

From  Hon.  ADDISON BROWN,  Judge  U.  S.  Court,  N™  York. 

Mr.  JAMES  H.  FISH,  the  bearer,  desires  to  submit  to  you  some 
measures  touching  instruction  in  Stenography.  *  *  *  He  is  the 
Stenographer  in  my  Court,  and  I  can  bear  the  strongest  testimony  to 
his  capacity.  *  *  *  On  his  part  you  can  rely  upon  it  that  all  he 
undertakes  will  be  performed. 


From   Mr.    CLAGHORN,    Principal  of    the  Brooklyn    Bryant    £r> 

Straiton   Commercial  School. 

Yours  concerning  the  study  of  Phonography  is  at  hand.  In  reply  I 
would  say  that  the  fact  that  so  large  a  proportion  of  those  who  under- 
take to  learn  it  by  the  old  methods  fail,  should  not  stand  in  your  way. 
No  professional  or  business  man  can  afford  to  do  without  it. 

Experienced  Stenographers  have,  within  a  few  years,  wrought 
changes  in  its  use,  and  I  believe  that  the  time  and  labor  now  required 
to  learn  it,  is  much  less  than  heretofore. 

Should  you  desire  more  particular  information  on  the  subject,  I 
would  advise  you  to  communicate  with  Mr.  JAS.  H.  FISH,  Stenog- 
rapher, United  States  Court  House,  this  city. 

Mr.  FISH  has  a  high  reputation  as  a  practical  Stenographer,  and  I 
feel  quite  sure  from  my  own  personal  acquaintance  with  him,  and  his 
plan  of  instructing  by  correspondence,  that  any  one  undertaking  the 
study  under  his  supervision,  will  be  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  result. 

C.  CLAGHORN. 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


LITTLE  ROCK,  ARK. 
MR.  C.  CLAGHORN,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  : 

DEAR  SIR. — I  see  your  name  mentioned  in  JAMES  H.  FISH  Stenog- 
rapher book.  I  am  anctious  for  my  son  to  learn  the  business,  and  we 
have  no  school  here  that  teach  the  Short-hand.  They  is  so  many  ways 


44  PRACTICAL  SHORT-HAND. 

to  get  a  man  money  nowadays  without  value  reed,  I  thought  I  would 
write  you  and  others,  and  see  what  you  say  about  Mr.  FISH  and  his 
manner  of  instruction  on  the  Short-hand,  His  price  am  satisfide  with 
if  the  man  is  all  O.  K.  You  will  excuse  me  for  trubling  you  in  this 
matter,  but  hope  you  see  my  raisin  for  writing.  Do  not  want  to  throw 
away  30$  and  get  no  benefit,  and  oblige 

Yours  truly, 


ANSWER. 


Mr.  FlSH  will  do  all  he  agrees  to.  If  your  son  secures  Short-hand 
he  will  get  that  which  will  be  worth  one  hundred  times  the  money 
spent.  You  could  not  do  a  better  thing  nor  deal  with  a  better  man. 

C.  CLAGHORN. 


310  HAI.SEY  ST.,  BROOKLYN,  N.  V. 
MR.  JAMES.  H.  FISH  : 

DEAR  SIR. — Will  you  kindly  forward  to  my  address  two  copies  of 
your  "  Sketch  of  Practical  Short-hand?"  I  wish  always  to  have  one 
on  hand,  as  I  find  it  is  the  clearest  way  of  recommending  your  excel- 
lent system  to  others. 

I  have  never  had  an  opportunity  of  thanking  you  personally  for 
the  delightful  position  in  which  you  placed  me  after  I  had  completed 
the  course  with  you.  • 

I  shall  always  recommend  your  system  with  heartiest  good-will, 
and  trust  you  may  be  able  to  place  many  in  such  positions  as  you  pro- 
cured for  me. 

With  thanks  and  best  wishes  for  your  continued  success, 
Believe  me,  yours  sincerely, 

A.  JENNY  KIRKLAND. 


FISH'S 


FOR  TECHNICAL  AND  PRACTICAL  TRAINING  IN  SHORT-HAND  AND 

TYPE-WRITING,  FOR   LEGAL  AND  GENERAL  BUSINESS 

PURPOSES;  UNDER  THE  INSTRUCTION  AND 

SUPERVISION  OF  FISH'S  CORPS 

OF    PROFESSIONAL 

REPORTERS. 


We  are  receiving  continually  so  many  ap- 
plications for  information  on  various  questions 
of  practical  moment  to  students,  that  the  fol- 
lowing statement  is  presented  with  a  view  to 
meeting  such  inquiries. 


PRACTICAL  gH0RT-HAND. 


KIPS!   Irjquipy. 
j  i       ®/ 

What  is  the  best  system  to  use  ? 

ANSWER. — There  are  several  systems  which,  when  well 
learned,  are  adequate  for  any  business  or  professional  use 
of  Short-hand ;  and,  taking  them  in  the  order  of  time  in 
which  they  came  into  use,  they  are  :  ISAAC  PITMAN,  BENN 
PITMAN,  GRAHAM,  MUNSON,  BURNS. 

Each  of  these  systems  has  skillful  and  experienced  rep- 
resentatives in  the  business  of  Short-hand  in  New  York 
and  other  cities.  Among  these  systems  there  is  a  great 
difference  in  the  manner  in  which  the  subject  is  presented 
for  the  use  of  the  students.  Without  referring  specifically 
to  the  merits  or  defects  of  either  of  the  others,  it  is  only 
needful  to  state  why  our  school  teaches  the  BURNS  system. 

First — Experience  in  practical  use  by  our  own  corps  of 
reporters,  as  well  as  in  commercial  and  professional  use,  has 
shown  that  it  is,  to  say  the  least,  as  rapid  and  as  accurate 
as  the  best  of  the  others ;  secondly,  its  presentation  by  the 
text-book  is  as  good  in  all  respects  as  any  other,  and  better 


IV.  PRACTICAL   SHORT-HAND. 

in  some,  in  our  opinion ;  and,  thirdly,  we  have  never  known 
Short-hand  to  be  practically  well  learned  so  speedily  as  by 
the  BURNS  system  as  .we  teach  it. 

O  IT 

(Decorjd  irjeiuiFy. 

Js  the  professional  and  commercial  market  open  to  the 
employment  of  persons  who  now  learn  Short-hand '  ? 

ANSWER.— It  most  surely  is,  and  it  is  a  field  for  employ- 
ment which  is  yearly  growing  wider.  A  vast  number  of 
banking  houses,  law  offices,  insurance  companies,  and 
general  business  establishments  are  open  to  the  employ- 
ment of  good  stenographic  writers,  at  fair  salaries  for  both 
men  and  women. 

Experience  in  the  City  of  New  York  has  shown  that  for 
the  rapid  disposition  of  legal  work  and  of  general  business 
matters  the  Short-hand  writer  is  indispensable.  All  efforts 
to  replace  Short-hand  writing  by  mechanical  devices  have 
been  a  complete  failure,  and,  in  my  opinion,  must  continue 
to  be  a  failure  so  long  as  brains  are  required  in  the  doing 
of  the  work  which  is  now  entrusted  to  the  stenographer. 
No  machine  has  yet  been  devised  which  could  approach 
in  speed  and  accuracy  the  work  of  the  phonographic 
writer.  All  writing  machines  are  noisy  and  therefore  create 
disturbance,  and  any  machine  which  undertakes  to  register 
automatically  vocal  sounds  will  of  necessity  indicate  also 
with  as  great  accuracy  sounds  which  were  never  intended 


PRACTICAL    SHORT-HAND.  V. 

to  enter  into  its  work ;  in  other  words,  if  it  will  record  ac- 
curately sounds  which  are  intended  to  be  preserved,  it  will 
also  record  all  other  sounds  which  come  within  its  range. 


Do  we  guarantee  employment  to  persons  whom  we  teach  ? 

ANSWER. — We  certainly  do  not.  But  we  have  never 
known  any  of  our  students  who  were  prepared  for  this  busi- 
ness under  our  instruction  to  go  without  employment ;  in 
other  words,  the  field  being  sufficiently  open  for  any  number 
of  competent  persons,  our  students  have  always  found 
employment.  This  inquiry  evidently  arises  from  certain 
advertisements,  widely  published,  which  guarantee  em- 
ployment. The  holding  out  of  any  such  guaranty  as  is 
here  referred  to  must,  in  our  opinion,  always  be  unfair  and 
oftentimes  dishonest,  and  is  a  guaranty  which  no  person 
could  by  any  possibility  carry  out. 

I  ii» 

"9*1      j' 

What  is  the  inducement  that  we  hold  out  to  our  Students  ? 

ANSWER. — i.  It  is  a  most  valuable  accomplishment  to 
any  intelligent  person  who  may  desire  to  use  it,  if  only  for 
private  purposes. 


VI.  PRACTICAL   SHORT-HAND. 

2.  It  will  enable  a  large  number  of  well  educated  and 
intelligent  persons,  both  young  men  and  young  women,  to 
obtain  employment  when  almost  all  other  avenues  of  busi- 
ness are  closed  to  them. 

For  instance,  there  are  more  persons  competent  to  keep 
books  and  more  persons  competent  to  teach  school  by  tens 
of  thousands  than  there  are  places  for  them.  Short-hand 
is  a  business  requiring  good  instruction  by  competent 
persons,  and  a  fair  degree  of  aptitude  and  intelligence  on 
the  part  of  the  student.  If  properly  instructed  in  the 
theory  and  practice  of  Short-hand  a  reasonable  amount  of 
time  will  enable  the  student  to  be  useful  for  business  pur- 
poses, and  the  salaries  paid  for  this  kind  of  work  average 
an  amount  very  much  above  the  average  salary  of  school 
teachers  or  clerks  in  general. 

Honestly  stated,  it  is  not  and  cannot  be  a  high  road  to 
a  large  salary  of  five,  or  six  thousand  a  year  to  the  average 
student.  But  Short-hand  writers  are  every  year  more  and 
more  extensively  employed  for  legal  reporting  and  for 
general  purposes. 

We  require  that  every  person  taught  by  us  shall  give 
some  sort  of  evidence  that  we  can  do  justice  to  them  and 
to  ourselves  by  taking  them  as  students;  to  any  person 
taught  by  us  we  can  safely  say  that  a  satisfactory,  and  even 
a  handsome,  return  will  come  to  them  for  the  time  and  for 
the  comparatively  small  amount  of  money  expended. 


PRACTICAL    SHORT-HAND.  VII. 


Riffy  L 


Why  is  it  better  to  employ  us  rather  than  some  one  else.  ? 

ANSWER. — That  depends  on  who  the  other  person  may 
be.  Other  good  teachers  can  be  named.  But  here  is  the 
undoubted  advantage  which  we  offer  and  which  we  think 
no  other  establishment  does  offer,  viz.,  that  our  teachers 
have  been  for  many  years,  and  are  now,  engaged  in  the 
business  of  verbatim  stenographic  reporting  in  the  City  of 
New  York,  and  the  instruction  which  they  give  is  neces- 
sarily practical  and  competent  in  every  respect.  I  think 
it  certain  that  ours  is  the  only  establishment  in  this  country 
doing  an  extensive  business  in  reporting  in  the  Courts  and 
in  general  practice,  and  at  the  same  time  teaching  Short- 
hand. 


i.  We  agree  that  students  may  take  any  amount  of  time 
to  complete  their  work  that  their  individual  circumstances 
reasonably  require. 


', U 
,.    u 

*'**  TEX 41 

VIII.  PRACTICAL    SHORT-HAND. 

2.  We  agree  that  each  student  shall  have  separate  in- 
struction and  direction. 

3.  We  agree  with  all  who  receive  instruction  from  us 
that  when  they  have  completed  the  course  we  give,  they 
will  be  able  to  write  Short-hand  well. 

For  information  upon  any  question  relating  to  the  sub- 
ject, write  to  us,  or  call  between  10  and  3  at  our  business 
office. 

JAMES  H.  FISH, 
First  Floor,  No.  229  Broadway,  New  York. 

Official  Stenographer  to  the  United  States  Admiralty  Courts  in  New 
York  and  Brooklyn,  and  the  U.  S.  Circuit  Court  in  Brooklyn. 


ITNIVERSITY  ot  CALIFORNIA 
AT 


Fistis  School  of  Short- Hand,  186  Remsen 
Street,  Brooklyn;  Franklin  Building,  near 
Court  Street.  Prospectus,  page  33. 


4024 


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